Alone and Forgotten
by frozenfemale
Summary: It's about time I changed my summary... Well, Meia is a girl who is about to find out what it means to live... live fully, I guess. Hehehe, i myself don't really know where this is leading to.
1. Prologue

Title: Alone… and Forgotten… A/N: This fic is dedicated to three people especially, Ehile87, Slamdunker88 and my brother who have played a great role in my life, in making me who I am now. I am aware that maybe most of you won't be reading my fic, but still, I'm dedicating it to you… and just for your info, I'm NOT condemning, or saying bad stuff about anyone at all! *realizes that there are other people around, getting bored by this A/N* Oops, sorry! Well, this fic is about a girl who's trying to live her life despite all the hurt hurled her way. Well… just read… and review!!! Prologue 

_I'm dreaming about a white Christmas,_

_Just like the ones I used to know…_

_            Right, a white Christmas… but that's not what I'm dreaming about, _Meia sighed heavily as she threw her gaze out the window. It was snowing all right out there. So white… so pure…. 

It was Christmas eve that night, and the house was so silent. So quiet…

            _Yeah right, in, _Meia looked at her watch it was 11:59 PM, _one minute, the whole house would be filled with noises… unwanted noises._

_Five, four, three, two… one…_

'MERRY CHRISTMA…' Meia covered her ears, thus blocking the name which every single person in the house, with the obvious exception of her, was shouting. It was always him, him and him. No one bothered about Meia. No one remembered Meia. No one _knew_ Meia. He was only a freshmen in his new school, while she, she was already a senior in her Junior High school. But no, no one would remember her. She hoped that this year would be different, he _was_ new anyway, but she had dismissed that hope, judging by the amount of phone calls he had received. It was always him. Her onii-chan… Meia sighed. 

_… _

_And may all your Christmases be white…_

Meia switched off her radio, and walked over to her window. Tears started to glisten from her eyes as she looked out. A full moon stared back. A full moon, white snow, dark sky, and beautiful bright stars stared right back. So simple… but so complete. So happy…

            _May all my Christmases be white? If only all my Christmases, or at least this Christmas, someone would remember me. If only this Christmas, someone would call me up. If only this Christmas, I wouldn't have to spend it alone… I would be happy enough. Who cares about snow anyway? Wasn't Christmas supposed to be a happy time together? But no, ever since onii-chan's first flood of fans came, okaa-san and otou-san would spend their Christmas outside, together, and I'm left alone… _Meia wiped a single tear that managed to flow down, sighing at the same time. Happy laughter floated up to her, causing more tears to escape her eyes and flow down. 

            Why was it always her brother? The very brother she had been so close to at one time, and the very one she looks up to, even now. 

            'Well, Merry Christmas, onii-chan,' she muttered bitterly. 

            _Why? Why couldn't he remember me? Why is it always him? Couldn't he at least…_ Meia just stared at the beautiful snowflakes falling down, as her tears flowed down her cheeks silently. 

            It was always this way. She would always suffer, silently, all alone. Even her parents seemed to like him more. He was more out-going, he could crack jokes, he was good academically and even in sports. She? She, so quiet… she might have been his shadow, just tailing him wherever he went. But… what could she do? That was her! That was the way she was, her personality!

            _Would it always be like this? Would it always be this way? _Meia watched as a tiny, and yet unique snowflake landed on her window still.             

            It was not that she was alone. She had friends… it's just that her friends never seemed to care. They never remembered her. 

            _Christmas was supposed to be a happy time, where we'd spend it with someone I cared for… but I'm always spending it alone. I'm…_

            Meia sighed yet again, wiping away all the tears from her eyes, and those that were flowing down her cheek. She hated it, the celebration that everyone looked forward to. The celebration that she herself loved when she was little, when she had such a good relationship with her brother.

            _Would it always be like that?_  

A/N: I know this chapter is quite short… but it's the prologue, isn't it? *smiles* I hoped you guys enjoyed it, and of course, don't hesitate to review!!! Oh, BTW, the … before may all your Christmases be white, stands for the line, may your days be merry and bright, but Meia didn't hear that part because she was too busy thinking… well, ja


	2. School?

Title: Alone… and Forgotten… A/N: Hey, thanks a LOT for all the wonderful reviewers!!! Well, here's chapter one for all of you!! 

Tensai 2002-3003 Hanako: Err… hope I got ur name correctly…. So, how'd u find this chapter??? Review olay?

Slamdunker88: Hey Wee Yen!!!! Ur sis? Ummm she's bratty, but I didn't know she's bimbo??? *looks at Wee Yen questioningly* nah, ain't going to tell u yet, even though we r sitting right b'side each other…. But please, do still let me come home with u on Tuesday-ne? 

Teh Tarik: Are there a LOT of people from Seremban? I only know a few, like Exhile87, slamdunker88, maniaclecraze88 and me…. frozenfemale88… wait, does my penname have an 88 behind? Well, whatever. We're all in the same school, and form… You must be referring to the welcome to the real world fic…. Well, I dunno who they are…. But they are talking about my school *jumps up and down* cool right?

Miracle: Hey! I updated!!! Fast right? Well, at least compared to my Terror fic this is real fast…. Uh… look who's so perasan…. *grins* Nyahahahaha!!! Everyone wants to know who her perfect brother is. I didn't really so out who he is…. But anyway…. Just read, and review…. And don't bry for Mitsui, I'm sure he's very happy just where he is now….

Eliar Swiftfire: hey!!! Thanks a bunch!!! You're really kind…. *looks around,and whispers* that's the mai point, actually. The girl is supposed to be real bitter inside… I mean REALLY bitter, and this fic is about… uh… my goodness, nearly told you man… danger, danger…. BTW, do you think my fics are boring? I mean seriously, I realize that I can't do humor, and sometimes, I repeat myself too much….

Chapter 1- School? 

            Heart pounding, Meia stepped into her new school, Shoyo High. She was all alone… not unusual, but still, she could feel the pain slicing through her every time she thought about her so-called friends. They had all wanted to go to Shohoku High. Why? Oh, because the ever so famous Rukawa was studying there. _Freshmen_ Rukawa. 

            Rukawa was the main reason _she_ had not wanted to go to Shohoku. She could not stand the idea of having all the girls in her form going after a guy. She couldn't bear to see everyone shouting for that one guy… because she would then be reminded of _him._

_            Well, I should be glad that not many people are going to Ryonan to check my nii-chan out… not that anyone knows that he is my brother… but still…_ Meia thought bitterly. 

            It was the third week since school started, but Meia had been on vacation with her family, so she was like three weeks late. Meia concluded that the vacation had not been a nice one-at least for her. However, the rest of her family seemed to have enjoyed it. Meia sighed.

* * * * * * * * 

            'Meia Hitomi I presume?' Meia gulped at the sound of her sensei's voice, that was dripping with sarcasm.  

            _Here we go again… jeez._ Meia sighed. 

            'Yes sensei,' Meia muttered as she pulled the rest of her body through the door of class 1-6, and closed the door. She was facing her sensei, which meant that she had her back to her classmates, but she could feel at least thirty pair of eyes boring holes through her back.

            'Well, it's a _great_ day to be late, is it not?' 

            _Well, your English has a Japanese slang, does it not? You'll make a bad English teacher, will you not?_ Meia thought sarcastically and childishly, as she put on a stoic façade. 

            'I'm sorry sensei,' she said, not sounding, nor feeling sorry at all. He ignored her, turned to the blackboard and started scribbling frantically. And despite herself, Meia felt hurt blossoming in her. 

_            Get real, it's just a teacher._

            She turned, and for the first time, faced her classmates. Mentally calculating, she was the thirty fourth student to enter the class. She ran her hand through her hair unconsciously. 

            The guys and girls who had been staring at her so intently, turned their attention back to their sensei immediately after they had gotten a good look at her… and Meia knew why. She was just so… nondescript. She had a plain tan face, dark brown short hair with eyes a shade darker. At about a hundred and seventy centimeters, with normal body shape, she was not ugly; it was just that there was nothing prominent about her features. There's nothing that one could remember her by… and sometimes, being ugly but remembered really appealed to Meia. It was the same way with her abilities. She had no talents, no nothing! She could only do what normal people could do normally. She could not play basketball like her brother, she could not draw like her friends, could not study like those nerds in the first class… she was so normal that it was abnormal. 

            Meia sighed, trying to quell the pain that was rising in her. She scanned the whole class for an empty space… and spotted two girls instead, one with short black hair, the other with long brown hair. They were talking away… but one of them, suddenly turned to Meia and smiled. Meia on the other hand just stared back. 

            'Do you want to stand here the whole day?' She turned to her teacher. 

            'Err…'

            'Go to your seat!' 

            _I've decided that I'm going to hate your class…Sensei,_ Meia thought bitterly. Sighing, she headed towards the only two empty spaces that she saw. It was right at the back of the class, at the far left corner, where it overlooked a window. 

            Settling herself, she took an exercise book to copy down all the crap her sensei had written on the board. She sighed again. 

            'Hey! You must be in a bad mood. I've never heard anyone sigh as many times as you in just two minutes,' a chirpy voice cut through her thoughts, making her jerk her head upwards. It was the girl who had smiled up at her, the short haired girl, and up close, Meia realized that she had beautiful green eyes that seemed to be able to hypnotize her. The girl stuck her hand out.

            'I'm Varoa Fujima, while this,' she indicated to her friend, 'is Mintei Chidora.' Her friend was obviously not as chirpy as her… but she seemed to be as friendly as she was. Suddenly, what Varoa said sank in harshly, and Meia looked at Varoa, shocked. 

            'You're Varoa Fujima?' Meia asked, not accepting the hand. Varoa just laughed good-naturedly, as if she had heard this particular question loads of time.

            'Yeah, and you must be connecting my name with Kenji Fujima, right?' she asked, her eyes twinkling mischievously. 

            'Why, do you like him?' Meia blushed furiously, shaking her head.

            'No, I don't… I was just shocked.'

            'He's my brother,' Varoa said indifferently, smiling. Those words sank slowly into Meia, leaving a terribly empty feeling in her. The was she said it… it was exactly the opposite of the way Meia would have introduced herself…

            _It must be nice for her to be able to just talk about her brother so simply without feeling hurt… it's just so unlike me… I don't even dare to use my real surname just because I don't want people treating me in a certain way just because I have him as a brother… _Meia sighed yet again, not noticing the weird look Varoa was giving her. 

            'Err…' Varoa looked to her close friend, Mintei, not knowing what to do. She was quite an out-going girl… but this girl, Meia… she seemed different, and Varoa, for the first time, was lost while trying to make friends. Mintei just smiled and whispered, 'now you know how I feel if I have to make friends.' 

            'Spare me,' Varoa said, giggling a little. Then she turned her attention back to Meia, who was still in her own world. Varoa was getting a little worried, when all of a sudden, Meia snapped out of it, and looked over to Varoa. 

            Meia suddenly realized that Varoa had been staring at her. Forcing a smile, she once again ran her hand through her hair, a little unconsciously. 

            'I'm Meia S… Hitomi,' Meia said the first thing that came to her mind, her forced smile still plastered to her face. The other girl, Mintei, who had been looking at her a little worriedly, smiled pleasantly. 

            'You'll be fine here, don't worry. There are people who are as chirpy and energetic as her,' Mintei pointed to her friend, 'but personally, I've never met one who talks as much crap as she does…' 

'Teme!!' Mintei shifted her attention to her close friend for a while, then back to Meia.

'…anyway, as I was saying, but there are people who aren't as out-going as her, so you're not weird, don't worry. You'll fit in,' Mintei assured her, trying to relieve her worry.      

            'Fujima! Chidora! Concentrate!' The sensei's voice reached all the way to the back of the class, cutting off their conversation for a while.

            _You may think I will fit in, but I don't think so. Anyway, I've been in the Junior High school for three years, and I didn't fit in either, _Meia thought during that brief interval. 

            _It's not the place, and I don't think it's the people… it's me… that's all. I'm not liked… _

'Some teachers are to nosy and sarcastic for their own good,' Varoa muttered irritated, not knowing anything about what Meia was feeling inside, what she was _thinking_. 

            'You can call me Va-chan, and her Mi-chan,' she finished the last bit of her introduction hurriedly, and quickly turned to the front. Then, for the first time in years, Meia smiled a true smile. She didn't know why, didn't how, but she did. It was years since she's felt that warmness blossoming in her. It had been years since the corners of her mouth so willingly tugged upwards into a smile. Meia took a deep breath, slowly. Varoa had a way of making her feel breathless. 

            'Oh, by the way,' Varoa had turned back to her, 'could we call you Ia-chan?' Varoa's face suddenly lighted up as she grinned. 

            'It's cool! I like it!' Meia was stunned speechless. It was the first time someone… anyone actually said that something about her was special. Even her parents never said such things… though she had heard such comments about her brother a little too many times to feel sincere happiness for him… if she could actually feel that for him…. 

            'Can we? Please??' Varoa pleaded. Meia just nodded mutely. 

            'Va-chan, urusei!' Mintei muttered, trying to sound angry, but failing. 

            'Hai, hai.' Varoa turned back to the front. 

            The warm sensation spread through her, making her wonder if it was really possible for her to actually fit in… they were so warm, so happy.

            _Why? How could they stay so happy? How could Varoa talk about her brother in such an indifferent manner? Life sucked… didn't it? _Meia started copying her notes, while the sensei babbled on in front. Another smile crept up her lips as she thought about the two girls sitting in front of her. 

            _She thinks my name is special…._

A/N: Well? So how'd you like it? Yeah, I know the names are real weird, but I'm not a Japanese, so I can't really come out with good names… gomen-ne? so… dodododododododo please review!!! Thanks a BUNCH!!! Oh, and to all readers who intend to kill me be cause of my Terror fic… sorrylar…. I had to make a main character die, and if it makes you feel better, Mitsui was an important character in that fic, and anyway, that was the only way I could make him play a big part… you know, in the standing in front of all of them and facing the centipede…. I'm just writing this because I can't find the time to update my Terror all that soon…. *grins* I'm so sorry. 


	3. More Basketball?

Title: Alone… and Forgotten… A/N: Hey!!! Ok, don't curse me… I know I'm much slower in updating Terror compared with this… well, what can I do? BTW, thanks to all the WONDERFUL reviewers!!!! *grins* oh, and I see lots of you believe that Sendo is her brother…. Well… we'll see…. 

Rim: Err… yeah, thanks

Slamdunker88: Sendo? Nyahahahahaha!!! Go figure… 

Teh Tarik: U guys actually have detention? What do you ppl do? Our detention is just picking up sampah in the canteen…

Tsongmandude: thanks, your review means a LOT… I hope things a still realistic in this chappie…. For some reason, I feel this chappie is not half as nice as the last…. I'm so sorry…..

Moomoo: am continuing

Moon Princess: Thanks! Read on!!

**Chapter 2- More Baskteball?******

            'Whew!' 

            'Va-chan! What if sensei heard you?' Mintei hissed at her good friend, who just shrugged her statement away. 

            'Big fat deal. Anyway, I'm just happy because it's because that break time, not sensei is leaving… though of course, the blossoming happiness of not needing to hear from him in four days can't be avoided…'

            'Shut up!' 

            Meia smiled without realizing that she did so. They were just so… warm. They made her feel that way too. She watched with amusement as the two friends in front of her quarreled about whether they should be nice to sensei(s).

            _Maybe, just maybe I have been looking at it all from a wrong perspective. Maybe my friends from junior high were different… cold. _

_            '**But what about onii-chan?**** Otou-san and okaa-san? What excuse can you give? Do you think that they are nicer? Do you think things will work out differently? Just wait. Give them a day or two. They'll soon get tired of you and leave, just like the rest did,'**_ another voice, a voice filled with hatred countered her bright thoughts. 

            Meia's smile disappeared. Just like that, her amusement was gone. 

            'Helloo? Earth to Meia! Come on, let's go!' Varoa called, waving her hand across Meia's unblinking and unemotional eyes. Meia looked up, startled.

            'Err… yeah?'

            'Do you want to stay here for lunch break as well?' Varoa asked, grinning a little. Meia, on the other hand, still had that blank look on her face, and after three seconds, Varoa, having had enough, muttered, 'Come ON!' as she pulled Meia up, along with her, and right out the door. Mintei just trailed along behind them, a smile decorating her lips. 

* * * * * * * * 

            'So, what club are you interested in joining?' Varoa asked, her mouth filled with food. 

            'Urgh! Va-chan! Don't talk with your mouth full!' Mintei reprimanded her. Varoa glanced at her friend, then back at Meia. 

            'Err… I'm not sure. What are you joining?' Meia asked in return, a little nervously. She wasn't used to getting that much attention in a cafeteria, at least not from two persons at once during lunch break. 

            'Basketball,' was Varoa's one word reply. She had said it in an indifferent tone, so it was quite natural that she was shocked at Meia's grimace.

            _Basketball, basketball, basketball! There's no end to this nightmare! At home, nii-chan and his friend…  don't tell me I have to go through this nightmare here as well! I CAN"T TAKE IT!!_ She nearly screamed, as her grip on her spoon tightened at that one harmless yet painful word.

            Her eyes slipped to a corner of a cafeteria, where all the basketball players of Shoyo High were eating… and laughing. 

            _Great, just so damn great!_

            They were so close and together… it got on her nerves. Why? Why was it always her? She was the one always suffering. 

            _GRRHHHHHHHHH!!! It was so DAMN unfair!!!!! Damn it!_

_            'Warm huh?_' the cold voice muttered… and Meia had no answer to it. She just let the taunting wash over her, piercing into her soul. 

            'Err… Ia-chan?' Mintei asked a little worriedly. Meia's face, emotionless just now, was still emotional now, but still Mintei could still see the faint traces that her anger left. Anger and pain. It was not the obvious, but yet, she felt it. 

            'Ia-chan?' she tried yet again. Her eyes traveled to Meia's right hand, which was gripping the spoon a little harder compared to how a normal person would. 

            _She's hiding something. Something big, something painful… and she's good at hiding it too…_

Mintei shifted her eyes to Kenji Fujima and his bunch of basketball friends that she and Varoa usually ate with. They were laughing, apparently enjoying themselves, nothing abnormal, so why was Meia's eyes fixed on them with disguised… was that… hatred? 

            _What on Earth is she hiding? Was it that bad? That painful… Well, whatever it is, I'm going to make her spill it. Spill all her troubles. Spill…_

'Meia!' Varoa tapped Meia softly. Both Mintei and Meia snapped their eyes over to Varoa immediately. The flicker in Varoa's eyes suggested that she too felt something during that short span of time when Meia was staring at her brother. 

            _Something…_

            'Look, why don't I introduce you to them, and then I'll ask Ken-nii for permission to skip practice today. We can show you around, and introduce to you all the other societies we have in the school too,' Varoa said. 

            'Uhh…'

            'Yeah, that's a good idea. Anyway, things are pretty settled for the time being. Your brother can surely handle the team for a day without two manageress.'

            'Uh…' Meia went again. She had no intentions of any kind to be introduced to Varoa's bunch of basketball friends. 

            Varoa wolfed down the last of her lunch quickly, got up, and pulled Meia towards them, without giving her a chance to disagree. 

            'Hey! Why didn't you guys join us for lunch today?' Hanagata asked good-naturedly. 

            'We were eating with Ia-chan, a new student,' Mintei explained, pointing towards Meia, while Varoa slipped into a seat beside her brother, nearly pushing Hasegawa off the bench at the same time. 

            'Varoa!' Hasegawa fumed, or at least tried too. However, a smile escaped his lips, thus, spoiling his already spoilt act. Varoa looked over to him, while grabbing the last sandwich off her brother's plate. 

            'Nani?' 

            'Hey! That's mine!' 

            'Yare, yare,' Hanagata muttered, smiling a little. They never failed to amuse him.

            _He smiles so easily… they all do. _From Hanagata, Meia's eyes traveled to the people around the table, then to the whole cafeteria. 

            _They all do… and it's so unfair…_ she thought bitterly. Didn't they ever feel the pain she felt when they smiled? Why? Why did she feel all the pain? Why didn't they? 

            After a while, Fujima, having given up on trying to grab his sandwich back, turned to Meia. He, Meia noted, looked quite a lot like Varoa, besides the fact that he had brown hair, and was a tad bit fairer compared to Varoa. 

            'So, you're new?' he asked, smiling. Meia nodded wordlessly. 

            'Oh my! I nearly forgot!' Varoa said, as she jumped up, this time, really managing to push Hasegawa off the bench.

            'Varoa!' She paid no attention to him. Instead, she started introducing Meia to everyone and vice versa, while still munching on the sandwich.

            'Oh, by the way, nii-chan, could we skip practice, only today? I… we want to show Ia-chan around the school-ne?' she asked, hoping fervently that her brother would be nice to her and allow it.

            'You can always show her around later,' Fujima said disapprovingly. He didn't like… no, he hated people skipping practice, and Varoa knew it. 

            'Come on! It's only once. Besides, it's not like you need us now right? Onegai?' Varoa asked. Fujima sighed, obviously battling on the inside whether he should act as a brother, or as a captain. 

            Hanagata glanced at Varoa, who was, behind her brother's back, pleading at him to at least give _his_ word. As a vice-captain, he did have _some_ right in making a decision. He turned his attention to Mintei. She too was pleading with him… with her eyes. He knew what was going on in Fujima… and he knew that he would not be able to do much, even as a vice-captain and as Fujima's best friend to change his mind. His eyes traveled to Meia, who was looking at Fujima with deep concentration… and… _recognition_? 

            _Well, I could try…_ Hanagata decided, still watching Meia intently.

            'Well, they have my allowance,' Hanagata muttered, getting an irritated glance from Fujima, and two very grateful glances from Mintei and Varoa. 

            'See, nii-chan! Come on, it's only you now!' 

            Hanagata chanced a glance at Meia, who looked exactly the same. There was no change in her emotions… at least none that she was portraying.      

            'Sempai, the bell rang,' Ito said as all around them, pupils got up. 

            'Nii-chan!' 

            'Fine, fine. Go, but if you have some extra time, come back to the gym, okay?' Fujima finally gave in. 

            'Thanks nii-chan!' Varoa said, as she threw herself on her brother, hugging him. Then, releasing him, all of them walked back to their respective classes, the two Fujimas making everyone laugh and wreaking havoc in the whole school, considering the amount of girls that were fainting. 

            Meia walked a little slower than them, a little separated. They were so carefree. They were filled with bubbly laughter. They were carrying invisible knifes, and they were plunging them into her. 

            She just didn't fit in.

            Hanagata turned behind to talk to Hasegawa, and incidentally, his eyes fell on Meia, who held Varoa in her glance… 

            _Maybe glare is a better word_, Hanagata thought to himself, as he felt something in him freeze up. She had a neutral expression on… but Hanagata felt something behind it. something that seemed to call out to him. 

            He turned back to the front, his eyes lingering on Mintei for a while, making eye contact, then back to the corridor that was filled with noisy students. 

            Behind them all, Meia ran her hand through her hair. 

            _They were all so happy. So different, but accepted… and wasn't that so damn unfair?_

_            'Oh, yes, Meia Hiitomi, so damn unfair,'_ the cold voice muttered softly. 

_            I'm not Meia Hitomi!_ She fumed suddenly. 

            _Why did onii-chan get everything? Even our sir name? No! I would address myself with my own sir name…. _

_            'Fine, Meia… Sendo. But that doesn't change the fact that it's unfair, does it?'  _

A/N: Don't kill me… I didn't want u guys to know that it was Sendo… err… especially Wee Yen, onegai, don't kill me…. I added the last part cause I didn't want you people to be in the dark too long, so forgive me if it sounds dumb. And I also hope she doesn't sound too bitter… I know it's kinda strange, but she is meant to be bitter… 


	4. Cold?

Title: Alone… and Forgotten… A/N: Uh… I know, I'm slow!!! Yikes! *ducks* don't kill me! don't worry! Terror is coming up too!!! I've just been busy!!! However, there, chapter three, hopefully you guys would like this!!! 

Supergal: Yup!! I find that I'm starting to LOVE angst… me must be mad!! Love?? *Meia blinks* uh… pushes Meia out of the picture. 

Slamdunker88: Yeah it is Sendo… so, how's your kursus. I wonder whether you'll be able to read this before school tomorrow. Oh, and come to think of it, I just realize…. Could you name me someone who stares too?? Ugh…

Teh Tarik: Oh, wow! I forgot to bring PJ clothes three times berturut-turut… and so far, nothing has happened to me yet… ur school must be strict man!! Well, I suppose it is kinda Meia's fault. In a way… don't worry, you'll see later, exactly whose fault it is…

Miracle: Err… yeah, poor Mitsui... *stays at least 10 feet away from Miracle* err… hopefully you have calmed down a little…. Anyway, Mitsui was the only one who seemed perfect… I dunno, don't kill me… anyway, he's important, right?!! Don't worry, me going to update Terror soon….

Tensai Hanako 2002-3003: Hopefully I gotten your name right. Uh… BTW, thanks a LOT!

**Chapter 3- Cold?**

            'So, anyway, that's the clubs we have over here. Interested in any?' Varoa asked. Meia shook her head without even thinking. It was true that she had not liked any of the clubs over here, the same way she had not liked any club over in Junior High… except maybe… yeah, there was one club she had been interested in during junior high but…

            'Really? Well, that's great! Then you can join this club!' Mintei exclaimed as she and Varoa stepped in front of a closed door. 

            'Err…?'

            Varoa, smiling, threw the door open, revealing a group of boys bouncing a little orange thing called…

            'Basketball?' Meia asked, incredulous. Basketball was the last thing on her mind now… well, okay, maybe it wasn't exactly the last…but _BASKETBALL? I mean, come on!_

            _How ironic, that was what I wanted in junior high wasn't it? _She asked herself as she reminisced the time she had yearned to be on the team… but then, as she grew, not only grew up, but grew apart from her brother, she had resolved not to do what he did… and yet she did yearn, still, now. But joining would only mean having another area to compete with him… and obviously, having him excelling and leaving her behind, alone. 

            'Va-chan. Come here. Please…' Fujima called to his sister as soon as she appeared at the doorway. 

            'Hai, hai,' Varoa said, running to her brother.

            'So? What do you think?' Mintei asked, watching as Hanagata executed a perfect three-pointer. Meia, caught between her childish admiration of her brother and her hot jealousy of him, was silent. What _could_ she say? She had never liked making choices, even now. Since… especially when she was a kid, she had left all the decision-making to Sendo, the person she looked-up to and trusted. Whatever he chose always seemed right… he always had the fun wherever he went, and in whatever he did. That made her scared of making her own choice, worried that she'd miss out on what her brother was going through. Even the different school thingy was planned by Sendo…

            But she had grown, maybe she hadn't really matured… but who knew, and who'd care? Meia wanted to act by herself. She wanted to be courageous enough to do her own stuff, and not do what Sendo did… and yet her childish admiration for him always intervened, her insecurities and worries about being left alone….

            'Ia-chan?' Mintei asked, guiding Meia's wandering mind back to reality gently. Meia ran her hand through her hair nervously as she looked at Mintei, who looked back at her with questioning eyes. 

            'Well…'

            'Oi, Mi-chan! Ia-chan! Come here and help!' Varoa bellowed form the other end of the gym while trying to eye all the new-comers who were currently, trying to learn the basics of dribbling. They jogged over to where Varoa was. 

            'So, Mi-chan, you take those,' Varoa said, indicating with her right hand. 

            'Ia-chan, do you know how to play?' Meia nodded. Sendo had taught her at one time, before her jealousy had rooted so deep in her heart; and she had been fascinated with it. But then, she had decided to not follow him, and gave it up, though it did hurt her heart… and just watching them play gave rise to her desires…

            _Stop it! You promised to forget!_ a part of her screamed. She was about to retort against that voice, when Varoa spoke again.

            'Okay then, you take those three.'

            'But…' Meia started. However, Varoa was already running towards Fujima. Mintei looked at Meia, feeling some unease in her heart.

            _She's certainly a little weird…_

            _It's as if she's… scared…_

            'You don't mind joining, do you? I'm sure you'll like it,' she said. Meia nodded, sighing inwardly. 

            _It's not like I have a choice…_

* * * * * * * * 

            'Hey, Mintei, is that new girl entering our club?' Hanagata asked her softly. It was already seven o'clock and they were both on their way back. Hanagata, Mintei, and the Fujimas stayed pretty near each other. They had already passed Fujima's house, and now were nearing Mintei's. 

            Mintei stopped short at his question, and turned, looking up at him.

            'Why?' 

            'No… it's just that… well, never mind.' Hanagata muttered, canceling his intention of asking Mintei his second question at the sound of her slightly cold voice. He started walking again, however, Mintei stopped him.

            'Why?' she asked again. Hanagata sighed. Experience had taught Hanagata how persistent Mintei could be when she wanted to. However, her persistence on this particular subject intrigued him. Usually she didn't poke her nose into others' businesses, but the steely note in her voice…

            'Well, she seems a little weird… I dunno how to put it… how… why did you make friends with her anyway? I mean it's not exactly like you to do that…'

            'Make friends? Varoa did that for me when Meia took one of the only two seats left in class, behind ours. Weird… you feel it too…' Mintei lapsed into a thoughtful silence. 

            'Err… Mi-chan?' Mintei looked up, and smiled.

            'Whoops, sorry.'

            'You know, she looks kinda familiar… and she seems really sad. Not only sad, she seems bitter…' Hanaagata muttered. After a while, he sighed, and walked on, followed closely by Mintei. For some reason, something about the way that Meia was so pensively quiet disturbed him. Pensively lonely.

* * * * * * * * 

            'Nii-chan! I need help!' Varoa hollered coming down the stairs two at the time. 

            'What are you doing in front of the television? The match isn't going to start until err… half an hours time!' Varoa asked her brother.

            'Am I not allowed to watch anything else besides basketball matches?'

            'Well, you certainly don't seem to be interested in anything else.'  

            'Oh, shut up! What do you want anyway?' Fujima asked, playfully ruffling her hair. She tossed her book in front of him. 

            'Ugh… Bio… Anyway, thanks for getting that Meia girl, she seems pretty good.'

            'Yeah, I think she is good, and don't try to change the subject, Ji-nii.'

            'Geez! What a sister!'

* * * * * * * * 

            The phone was ringing, again. Meia groaned.

            _How am I supposed to sleep if the phone keeps ringing for _him_? She asked bitterly, sitting up. Sendo had already picked up the phone, and was now chatting. _

_            I thank God Tou-san and Kaa-san allowed me to enter a different school after all… with a different sir name too, or I'll be bombarded with questions on him…_

_            '…and you might be popular too…' _a bitter voice rose in her. 

            _Popular my foot! They'll only be my friends because of him… that'd be bad… Damn!_

            She heard the clock chiming twelve downstairs, and she sighed. She switched her room light on, while muttering, 'Stupid phone!' The book, The Eyes of The Dragon looked really tempting, and she wanted to get her mind off all the stuff crowding her already overloaded brain. But then again, she had a lot of work to do, and though she had not planned to do them, it was the only way to make her sleepy again.

            Deep in her heart, she cursed the phone again, though in reality she was merely cursing her friends. 

A/N: So? How's it? I hope it's nice… *gulp* I didn't really mean her to curse her friends you know!! Tell me what you think…. Seriously…


	5. Hatina?

Title: Alone… and Forgotten… A/N: Hey once again!! Yeah, I've updated… yeah!! I realize that I've been putting a little too much angst in it… Meia was a little too bitter wasn't she?... and considering all of you… well most of you were asking for Sendo to come into picture… well, here he is!! This chappie has angst too… to tell you guys the truth, I can't really relate to Meia anymore, she's too angsty… gomen, gomen!! I hope this chapter will be better than before (though I do very much doubt it) if you're bored, just skip this authors note, I'm going mad here… hopefully you all will like this chapter… 

Supergal: Yeah, I'm trying to veer from the angst… hope you like this chappie… though I would say that I didn't do all that good a job trying to not make the whole chapter angst! Rap? You like rap?

Slamdunker88: Told ya not to peace me out!! Nyahahaha!! Sendo? *lifts an eyebrow* you'll see… yup, basketball…. Wouldn't you love to be in her shoes? 

 Teh Tarik: ow….. everyone seems to hate Meia now…. Don't worry… let's hope she changes, ne?

Miracle: Really? Whew I'm glad… you can call me Angeline… uh… read your review for the Unknown thingie… yeah we're pretty close friends… mind you, it's not like I pried into their review, everyone is allowed to look at other's review, right??? Nyahaha!! Ok, I better stop, I turning more and more into a Sakuragi Hanamichi….

Chalce: Thaw?? We'll see… Shut her out?? In a way, he did…. But for his own reasons… and he does care for here…. Just read on a little more and you'll see…

**Chapter 4- Hatina?******

            'Hey! Sendo!' A guy's voice broke through the morning's silence. The rhythmic thumping of the ball stopped abruptly as Sendo looked up, wondering whether he was hearing things. It was only six forty five in the morning, and only mad people like him would be out at this time of the morning.

            'Oi! Akira, you blind idiot! Over here!!' the voice called out again. An image flashed passed Sendo's mind… 

            _That voice sounded so like him… but it can't be… he would definitely inform me… wouldn't he?_

            This time, Sendo spotted a pair of waving hands. He blinked.

            _Damn you! You didn't inform me?_

            'Hiroaki?' the figure stepped over to Sendo, giving him a big hug.

            'Koshino! You're back! Why didn't you tell me??!!' Sendo practically shouted for joy… and irritation, smiling broadly. Suddenly, a more petite figure appeared, seeming a whole lot grouchier compared to the former.

            'Hi-nii! Why the hell did you drag me out here at this hour for? I still could have at least an hour of sleep… I only slept for four hours on the plane!!' 

            'Four hours and fifteen minutes! Don't lie!' 

            'Ch… like it makes a difference.' The voice huffed.

            'Hey! I just wanted you to meat the ever-so-famous Sendo Akira… and anyway, you won't be sleeping in my room… well at least as far as I can help it, you are going to stay AWAY from my room, and that is why I brought you here,' Koshino said, ending the last sentence with mock sweetness.

            'Baka!' the girl shouted at him.

            'Where am I going to sleep then?' she continued.

            'Oh… you know where… right?'

            'TEME!!!'

            'Maa, maa… no need to get so worked up, I know you're tired,' Koshino said, rolling his eyes, 'Anyway, Sendo, this is Hatina Natsumi, my cousin. Ti-chan, this is Akira Sendo, my best and most irritating friend.'

            'Ohayo!' Sendo said cheerfully.

            'I'm not having a very good morning, as you can see!' was Hatina's reply. There was a pause, then both burst out laughing at the same time. 

            'Do you guys know each other or something?' Koshino asked, curiously.

            'Not really… I met him during the game between Shoyo and Ryonan… practice game. You called in sick that day. We went to support Ken-chan… anyway, who wouldn't know him… most famous guy in Kanagawa… at least where basketball is concerned,' Hatina replied.

            'Oh…. Of course I knew you'd know him, but I was wondering how'd he know you… you just a nondescript…'

            'Urusei!' Koshino held his hands up in mock surrender. Sendo smiled at their antics. 

            'So, how old are you, Hatina-san?'

            'A year younger than you.'

            'Are you in Ryonan?'

            'Ugh! Why would I be in the same school with this pest?!' Hatina muttered, pretending to be disgusted.

            'I'm in Shoyo.'    

            'Oh? My sister…'

            'Hey Sendo, could I borrow some money?' Koshino asked, already ransacking through Sendo's wallet.

            'NO!'

            'Ei? Oh, well, not like I care anyway,' Koshino answered, pulling out a couple of bills.

            'Then why did you ask m…'

            'Hey! You got a new picture of your sister!' Koshino exclaimed, cutting him short. Sendo picked his ball up, executed a perfect three-pointer.

            'Yeah, so?' 

            'That's like the fifth time you've changed it in three months!' 

            'Can I see?' Hatina asked, walking over to her cousin. Sendo shrugged.

            'As I was saying, Hatina-san, she's in your school. Anyway, Hiro-kun, how was your two months hols?' Sendo asked, while wiping away some of his perspiration away.

* * * * * * * * 

            'Students, there's a new student today. Natsumi Hatina will be studying in this class as of today!' the teacher announced. In front of Meia, Mintei and Varoa suddenly sat up straight, while the new girl walked right to where they were all sat. She settled into the last empty space, which was beside Meia, smiling broadly. 

            'Ti-chan! You're back! Idiot! Why didn't you tell us?' Varoa shot as Hatina as soon as she was seated. The latter just shrugged that statement away.

            'Hey, Ti-chan!'

            'Ohayo!'

            'By the way, Ti-chan. That's Meia Hitomi, a new girl. She's also an assistant manageress in out team. I signed up for you too… you're on, right?'

            'Sure!'

            'Ia-chan, this is Hatina Natsumi. One of our closest friends in…'    

            'Varoa Fujima! If you turn back again, I'm going to give you a detention!' the sensei roared, veins popping out of his head.

            'Whoops!' Varoa giggled.

            'God, save me…' Mintei moaned. Hatina smiled. Then, she turned to the girl beside her, fully intending make friends with her. However, her smile froze over as she really looked at the girl for the first time. She was shocked at the striking similarity of that girl with the person in Akira's picture. Straight, short dark brown hair. Oval-shaped face with a slight tan… but the most prominent thing… her eyes. Sad… and far away. 

            However, she recovered quickly, and unfroze her smile. 

            'Hey, I'm Hatina Natsumi, pleased to meet you!' 

            'Meia Hitomi, the girl muttered back, a smile stretching over her lips… but Hatina felt something was out of place. The smile… the name… they didn't seem to suit the girl in front of her.

            'Hey, Ti-chan, could you…'

            'Varoa FUJIMA!! DENTENTION!!'

            'Err…' 

            'Oh, God, I beg of Thee, free me from this suffering,' Mintei moaned. Hatina started giggling, a warm sensation spreading through her. She missed her friends dearly. They were one of the most popular trio in junior high, and she could still remember all the scraps Varoa had brought them into, all with her wild imaginations and never-thinking-before-acting attitude. 

            She turned to her left a little, catching a glimpse of Meia, who was also smiling.

            _This smile suites her better._

* * * * * * * * 

            'Gather around!' Fujima ordered, looking around for missing people. Sighing softly, he turned to Mintei.

            'Mi-chan, what did Va-chan do this time?'

            'Err… detention?'

            'I know that much… geez!' he muttered, his eyes still roving about looking for missing someones… however, this time it fell on Hatina. 

            'Oh, Ti-chan, you're back! Okay, Minna-san this is our third-year assistant manageress, Natsumi Hatina, okay?' Nods went around.

            'It's not like they can even disagree,' Hatina muttered, earning a giggle from Mintei.

            Things continued normally… for five minutes. It was then, Varoa appeared. 

            'Gomen, I'm late!' Fujima stormed over to his sister, shouting something about tardiness and 'how many times did I tell to not make a teacher angry!' After a minute, he paused.

            'Wait a minute! What the hell are you doing here? Your detention won't end till half an hour later!' he asked. Varoa merely smiled mischievously.

            'One day, Varoa's going to give Fujima a heart attack,' Hanagata muttered to Hatina, who doubled over with laughter. Fujima shifted his blazing eyes to her, as she struggled to keep a straight face, looking at Hanagata accusingly. Hanagata, however, performed a perfect jump shot without so much as a smile. 

            _Actually, Hatina reflected after Fujima looked away, _it wasn't all that funny. It was just that I missed my friends, especially the way they could make me laugh… hols were fun, but they are funny… Hi-nii too… but still…__

            However, her thought were cut short as her eyes fell on Meia. 

            _Who the hell is she? I'm 60% sure… hell, I'm almost 99% sure that she's Sendo's sister… but then, why won't she say so? Why would she use Hitomi as her sir name? Why is she so different compared with him? Hatina mused silently. _

            Hours later, after her showers, Meia left the gym quietly, alone. Suddenly, she heard thudding footsteps behind her… and panting breaths. 

            'Ia-chan! Ia-chan!' Hatina called. Meia turned. 

            'Hey, mind if I walk you home?' Meia looked surprise for a fleeting moment, then that look left her face as the corners of her mouth turned up into a smile. This smile was similar to the smile that Meia had on her face when Varoa was given a detention. Later on, Hatina would name the two different smiles that Meia sometimes had on her face. This one would be the true smile, the other, the fake. 

            'Nope, it's alright by me.' 

            'Which Junior High School were you from?' Hatina asked as they walked out of the school compound. 

            'Takeshime,' Meia replied. 

            'Oh…' they were quiet a while.

            'Where do you live?' Meia suddenly asked. It was quite dark that night. The cold wind was swirling around them, refreshing them. Somehow, Meia felt really at peace.

            'My parents are still on vacation, so I'm living with my cousin instead. Hiroaki Koshino. Mintei said, hoping for a reaction. However, Meia did not show any signs of shock, and if she did, she was definitely good at covering it. 

            _Koshino?__ Onii-chan's friend? Who the hell is she? Does she know about… is that why she's pretending to be friendly… damn it…I …_

            'Ia-chan,' Hatina called out, breaking through Meia's thoughts. 

            'Do you happen to know a Sendo Akira?' Meia stopped in her tracks, trying to hide her worry, irritation and frustration.

            'Why do you want to know?' she asked hostilely. 

            'Well,' Hatina gulped uncomfortably at the bitterness her voice held.__

_            Maybe this is a bad Idea…_

            'He's my cousin's good friend, and kinda cute too. Real jolly… just wanted to know whether you knew him… no biggie… you know what, let's just for…'    

            'Forget? You want me to forget it now, after you've asked?! Who the hell do you think you are, prying your nose into other's business? Why don't you just mind your own, huh?' she sounded really hysterical.

            'Wh..a..t? I… I was just curious to know whether you know him…. Well, by the tone of your voice I do know that you know him… and hate him too…. I didn't know you guys are acquainted…. I'm sorry.'

            'Sorry? Curious? Don't talk crap! Why don't you just shut the hell UP!' Hatina was surprised that her voice was still rising due to fury.

            _Why does she hate him so much??_

            'What makes you think that you can prick into my business? Why can't everyone just stop mentioning him?!' Meia screamed. Her voice however, was mellowing down… until it was a mere whisper, and Hatina was left with a sobbing girl. 

            'Ia-chan…'

            'Urusei!' With that, Meia ran off, leaving a very confused Hatina. Sendo seemed to genuinely love his sister… so _why does she hate him so much?_

A/N: So? I'm trying to veer from the angst!!! I'll try to explain a little more in the next chapters…. Was it boring?? Pls tell me seriously, ne? I really need your comments!!! Arigato for even reading this far… ja!

  


	6. Friends?

Title: Alone… and Forgotten… A/N: YIKES!!! Don't kill me…. I know I took a long time to update!!! Band is getting in my way… all my CCAs are getting to me…. no time to write. Gomen, gomen. Btw, I wrote an extra long chapter, to pay up. hopefully it's not TOO long… 

Jellybean: yeah… thanks. See, I updated… though it took quite a long time. Hope you still like it!!

Unquestionable: Oi! TOLD YA NOT TO PEACE ME OUT!!! Hehehehehe….. btw, just after u told me about Soon Khie phoning, she phoned me lar…. And, anyway, Meia can't cool out… it's not part of the story yet!!!

 Teh Tarik: Yeah, me too!!! The ones who would get in trouble… kekekekeke…. Okay….. anyway, yeah, it should have been Hatina… but I'm too lazy to redo it. thanks for telling me the mistake anyway.

Miracle: Uh… more Sendo? Well, there is certainly more of him in this chapter, though not the way you might want him to be…

**Chapter 5-Friends?******

            'Meia! Come down for dinner!' Meia's mom's voice floated up the stairs, through the doors of Meia's bedroom, and into her ears… all for nothing, as Meia chose to ignore it. She had been slamming her fist into her pillow, and she didn't stop when she heard her mom's voice. Her frustration was getting the better of her, and no matter how much she tried to waste her energy away, it didn't seem to want to leave her. She was getting more hyper and anger by the second. 

            _'And why are you so angry?' A small voice awoke in her._

            _What the hell are you talking about? Another part of Meia rebuked it, her hands still moving automatically. _

            _'Do you even have the right to be angry?'_

_            Yes I do!_ Meia grimly replied, without even thinking it through. 

            _They're my friends… they shouldn't be talking about him…. It's my life, and he shouldn't be in it, damn it! But he keeps poking his porcupine head into my business without a care on what I feel. _

_            'Varoa and Kenji share the same life, and Ra-nii is your brother, he has to be part of your life. _

'Meia! Go down, now! Kaa-san is calling!' Sendo's voice was followed by a sharp rap on the door. 

            _No he does not have to be a part of my life. Anyway, look at that! You're asking me to share a life with a brother that commands me around instead of talking to be nicely. A domineering brother! They're not the same… Kenji and Ra-nii aren't the same, don't you see? He's nice to her…_

_            'It's just his tone… and you're only indignant… don't do what he says then… ask him to repeat it in a nicer tone. I'm sure Va-chan and Kenji fight at times… just tell him to be nice.'_

_            I can't… he's my onii-san… I have to follow what he says…._

_            'And who said so? You're just weak… and you're blaming others for it. You can't stand up for yourself, and you drag other people who never did anything wrong into it as well, trying to make it seem as if it's they're fault. _

'MEIA! Kaa-san is calling! Open the door… NOW!' Almost automatically, Meia reached for the door, hoping unconsciously that her tear-stains couldn't be seen. 

            'Okay… I'm coming!' 

            'Come out earlier! We've been calling you for so long!' Sendo scolded her as soon as the door swung open. With as much dignity as she could muster, Meia ignored him, trying not to burst into tears… trying not the curse him with her colourful vocab. 

 _           __'You're just too weak to stand up to…'_

_            SHUT THE HELL UP!!_

* * * * * * * * 

            'Hii-nii…'

            'Yeah?' Koshino asked, straightening his position on the bed, looking up at Hatina, who was at his swirling chair, twirling her pen with one hand, and with the other, raking her hair black hair back. Both, as far and as well as Koshino knew her, were signs of nervousness. He smiled.

            'Yeah?' he asked again, as the television blared on about what was happening in the world and how everyone wished for the world's peace. 

            'Er… you know… um… Sendo-san… err…' Hatina stuttered, immediately earning a bright mischievous look from her cousin.

            _Uh… oh… I'm so dead, Hatina mentally prophesied._

            'Aha! I knew he would get to you sooner or later. What do you want to know about him? He doesn't have a girlfriend yet, he's too obsessed with basket…'

            'BAKA!' Hatina threw a book at him, hitting him on his head.

            'Itai! Cruel… I was just helping you…' Koshino whined. 

            'Doesn't anything else except BGR go through that brainless brain… err no…. if you're brainless you won't have a brain…. Err… brainless skull of yours?!'

            'BGR?'

            'Boy girl relationship… don't you know that?'

            'No.'

            'No as in you don't know that, or not as in nothing else goes through your head.'

            'Both.'

            'Damn, I knew it!'    

            'Okay, okay, don't need to get mad. What is it that you want to ask me?'

            'Well… I was just wondering, what was Sendo's sister's name again?' Hatina asked, noticing acutely that Koshino's mischievous look had disappeared, and it was replaced by curiosity… and something Hatina couldn't really place… was it… apprehension?

            'Meia,' he answered her, sounding a little reluctant.

            'Meia?' Hatina stood up immediately, startling Koshino a little. 

            'Yeah, why?' Hatina didn't answer his question. Instead, she merely walked to where he was, and slumped down beside him.

            'Ti-chan, why?'

            'I'm sitting beside a girl named Meia Hitomi, and the resemblance between her and Sendo-san's picture is too close it to be a coincidence. 

            'Oh… and so?' 

            'She seems to hate him.'            

            'Yeah…?'

            'Is that all you can say? Her name is Meia, she looks like Sendo-san's sister, but she uses a different surname, and she hates him,' Hatina fumed, glancing at her cousin… and at that moment, realized that he was just acting dumb. His face showed that he had already understood all that she meant, and that she had meant to tell him.

            'I know… okay, I know…. Look, I'll ask you this, just promise me you won't be mad,' Koshino paused, and after earning a nod from Hatina continued.

            'Why?'

            'Huh?'   

            'Why are you interested?'           

            'Well… she's my friend, and I just want to know why she seems so bitter… and I think she would be far better off without all the bitterness in her… and anyway, Sendo-san seems very nice, it would be a waste for a sister to hate such a loving brother,' Hatina replied immediately. 

            'Err… right, fast thinking… and it makes sense too…. Well then, I guess she really is Meia Sendo, and I'm not all that surprised she hates him… or at least thinks that she does.'

            'But why? Why the hell would she go through all the trouble to change her surname and pretend to be someone else? Why does she hate him that much? He seems nice…' 

            'Yeah, as a friend, not as a brother,' Koshino cut in without giving her a chance to finish.     

            'Why not? He seems to love her a lot.'

            'Ti-chan, what is your first impression of Sendo?'

            'Well… nice, fun, cool…'

            'Yeah, but he is insecure too, on the inside. He's cool, self-collected… and God knows what else that makes all the girls swoon around him, but not many people knows what he really thinks, and how he really feels on the inside. He loves his sister very much, but doesn't know how to show it. He ends up commanding her around. You also have to remember, he is a star, but she is so… unknown… I'm practically the only friend who knows that they are related.'

            'Well, he doesn't command you around… and he can mix very well… how can he not know how to treat his sister?' 

            'He's a little like Varoa. He has the ability to create relationships very easily, but he doesn't really like to do so, unlike Varoa. He's really like… loyal to the friends he has now. Once he has the friends, and once we really get close, well, we understand each other very well… but she doesn't understand him, and he has difficulty understanding her, and he can't treat the way he treats me. When he doesn't know what to do, he'd usually go, you know, crazy, crazy. But he can't be "crazy, crazy" all the time. And as I said, he has like practically everything, but she doesn't.' Koshino raked his hair back, at the same time, turning the television off.       

            'You mean she's just jealous?' 

            'In a way yes… and no. In a different sense, she's proud of him… get to know her better, you'll be a little surprised at the depth of her actual thoughts… she doesn't seem that… you know, mature as you hear what I tell you. I mean, yeah, sibling rivalry is pretty common, even among, actually,_ especially_ among teenagers. But there is something that makes her seem childish, something we can't place. Maybe as we compare her with Akira, she does seem so, but she is much deeper, she _goes _much deeper.' Koshino paused, then continued. 

            'I don't know her well… and I believe that she thinks I don't know she exists, but I do… and I think you sort of know why I actually pay some attention to her, without her knowledge. But Sendo has many friends, and most of them don't give her a second glance. No, no,' he continued quickly as he saw Hatina about to interrupt, 'there is nothing wrong with her. It's just that Akira is so… much more prominent compared to her. And, consciously or otherwise, she knows it, that's why she changed her surname, hoping that someone would not compare her with Sendo. Maybe she didn't know why she did it, but deep down, there is a small consciousness there of how Sendo has impact on others, and how she seems to be… always ignored. The word Sendo seemed to have a reputation, and she felt that she couldn't live up to it, and she didn't dare to…' 

            Hatina sighed softly, not really understanding why this was weighing so hard on her. Why she actually cared so much about Meia. 

            'She's and interesting girl… if she could only push her insecurities away, push her feelings of insignificance back, she would realize that she too has some potential, and they would make a great pair.' Koshino pulled his pillow to him, hugging it tightly, images floating across his mind. Unconsciously, he smiled. Smiled a sad smile.

            Hatina looked up at the white ceiling in Koshino's bedroom, breathing the cool evening breeze that blew in through an open window. In her mind, she saw Meia walking across, right in front of her eyes… and with her, another girl… a long-haired _familiar_ girl. 

* * * * * * * * 

            _How am I going to face Ti-chan today? _Meia walked into Shoyo high, breathing in the fresh morning air, wishing that all the events yesterday hadn't happened at all. 

            'Ia-chan!' 

            _Great… speak of the Devil,_ Meia sighed. If only she could have a wish, she would wish that a hole would open up and swallow her up. At least there she wouldn't have to face this…

            'Konnichiwa Ia-chan,' Hatina greeted her cheerfully. For a moment, Meia froze, feeling different. The way Hatina was reacting… it was as if what happened yesterday never took place at all. That moment stretched out so long to Meia that she was, for once, afraid that a hole had really appeared to swallow her, and was now, doing so. An invisible hole. She had always wanted it to happen… but something in what she learnt… something that seemed to happen when she was with them… she didn't want to be swallowed.

            _Was it possible… would she actually be able to forget it, and not ask me questions? _That thought was so… weird and new to Meia that it's reality couldn't really sink into Meia's mind. That moment passed, breaking her out of her freeze, and she raised a hand in greeting. She didn't dare to call out, just in case her voice would shake, and reveal her nervousness. 

            The whole day passed as if in a blur, a boring blur, that was. The basketball practice went as fine as far as Meia's view of fine could get. She could at least start interacting and opening up. Just before she left the gym to return home, Fujima called out to her. 

            'Hey, Ia-chan, want to walk home with us? Ti-chan said that your house is along the same route as ours… at least for a while.' Meia smiled unconsciously. She was actually quite shocked to actually be accepted into their "clique".

            'Uh… sure…' she said before she could even think it through. And almost immediately, she regretted it. She was never good at interacting, and she was scared. Nervous… what if they ran out of things to say? What if Ti-chan suddenly brought out yesterday's events? What if they decided to only talk among themselves, leaving her out? What if? What if? She had always been scared, it was not that she didn't want to walk with them, she was too damn scared to want to. Yet, she did want to… 

            Surprisingly, to her at least, the walk back was pretty jolly and gay. Meia found herself able to talk pretty freely with them all. Her nervousness dissolved into laughter as she watched them all… and participated in their talk.

            Meia was the first one to leave their group. She walked the rest of the way home alone, smiling a little. After their offer to walk Meia right all the way back was politely rejected, the two Fujimas left turned at another corner not far from where Meia branched out, and left Mintei, Hatina and Hanagata alone. 

            'Ne… Mi-chan, Ru-chan, if I were to tell you something, could you promise to not tell anyone else? Onegai?' Mintei stopped awhile, and Hanagata followed to suit. 

            'Sure,' Hanagata muttered. Mintei, however, was not exactly the type that was curious, and she was not sure she wanted to hear what Hatina had to say. She felt a sense of… foreboding overtaking her… engulfing her. 

            'Mi-chan, please…' and at that point, Mintei knew, as well as she knew that the girl in front of her was Hatina, she knew that it was her that Hatina wanted to talk to. Hanagata just happened to be there. And at the same time, she could see, printed on Hatina's forehead in bold red letters, "DANGER, NOT MEANT FOR YOU"

            'What?' However, Mintei knew that Hatina wasn't going to tell her, not until she gave her word. And she was right. Hatina just continued looking at her stubbornly. 

            _Darn… God I wish…_ Mintei sighed. Hatina was her friend, one of her closest at that…

            'Okay, I promise.' Hatina stared at her a moment longer, then shifted her eyes to Hanagata, who looked at the two of them smiling.

            'Ne… maybe I should leave you two. We're all going to split up at the next turning anyway, I don't mind.' Hatina looked at him, a little relieved, and more than a little grateful. 

            'Thanks,' she whispered. However, Mintei wasn't that pleased. 

            'Ja,' was all she said. Hanagata said his goodbye and left. 

            'Look, I'm only telling you this because I need your help,' Hatina said softly after Hanagata had gone. 

            'Help? On what?'

            'No… it's not for me. I… maybe it's more like she needs your help.'

            'Who?'

            'Meia. Meia Sendo,' was Hatina's reply. 

            'Ti-chan, her name is Meia Hitomi… daijoubu?' It was not like Hatina to forget things that easily, and Mintei's sense of foreboding increased. The pale light of the moon fell on them, shrouding the things around them too. Hatina looked up, seeing the outlines of the mountains far away, noticing acutely how fast the daylight disappeared. 

            'Iie… her name is Meia Sendo.'   

            'As in Akira Sendo's imoto?' Hatina nodded mutely at Mintei's question.

            'And… so, what can I do? Why do I need to help her?' Mintei asked, choosing her words carefully, glancing sharply at Hatina, who smiled a sad smile, as if knowing that something would happen. Something that she'd rather not, would happen. 

            'She hates him,' she muttered, not really daring to look into Mintei's eyes, but doing so anyway. And she flinched as she saw the reality sink into Mintei. She flinched as Mintei's eyes showed understanding… and the thing that Hatina didn't want to see. Hurt. 

            Mintei shook her head slowly, mouthing "no".

            'Mi-chan…'        

            'No.'

            'Mi…'

            'No!' 

            'Look…'            

            'No, I can't help you!' Mintei said those words out softly and clearly. She spat them out with venom, clarity, and in her own way, anger. Her usually cool façade, her leveled tone of voice only showed Hatina how angry she was. How _threatening _she sounded. She walked off quickly, not giving Hatina a chance to defend herself. Not giving her a chance to say sorry or at least give an excuse. By the time she reached the security of her room, her tears were already uncontrollable. She sobbed into her hands, not caring about being strong anymore. Not caring about her promise to grow up, to not let the sadness gnaw at her. 

            Hatina was her close friend, and Mintei knew better than that to think that their relationship would break because of this. It was too strong, but… all she felt for Hatina now was contempt. 

            Contempt that she had the nerve to ask her. 

            Contempt at the fact that she opened the door separating herself from her old reality… from her past that they all had sworn together to help her forget. 

Contempt at the mere fact that Hatina was one of her closest friend. 

A/N: Hopefully you guys aren't mad about the way I portrayed Sendo. SO, what do you think about it. uh… I might not be able to update all that soon. Crap, May is coming, and all the Mid-term Exams are coming up. I'll try though. 


	7. Acceptance

Title: Alone… and Forgotten… A/N: Right… again, I have to say sorry for taking so LONG to update, and writing another REALLY LONG chapter… gomengomengomen…. This is really getting terrible… plsplspls forgive me-ne, minna-san… well, then read on!!! 

Cools: Yup, am writing more chapters, thank you….

Nothingmatters: NICE penname u have there… good thinking. Yeah, am writing more, thanks for your support… *hinthint*

Yuriko: Nah… I didn't explain why Mintei is hurt, so you're not blur on anything at all!! It will come, though I'm not sure when… I can't seem to slit it in.

Faithncourage: Hehe… sorry I took so Long to update, you have it here though… thanks for your support!!!

Unquestionable: Che… I thought u were going to say finally I uploaded…. Mengada!!! U just wait till I find something that irritates u,… matilar u then…

 Teh Tarik: Err… mail disappeared? Seriously? Then I'll just have to amil u again… hehehehe… *laughs evilly* Well… I dunno y she can't ignore Sendo. Maybe she fells obligated to follow what he says because he is older and she has too much moral values such as menghormati orang yang lebih tua… and dunno wat crap lar… that nilai pretty long wan right? I know, I know, they change syllabus already….

Miracle: Thanks… midterm is MORE than I can bear… oh, so, anyway, yeah… Sendo… don't worry, he'll be coming back to ur Sendo soon… hehehe

**Chapter 6-Acceptance**

            'Ohayo… Mintei!' Hatina called out in a draggy voice.  

            'Ohayo, Ti-chan Mintei said back, a smile plastered to her face. Both looked at each other for a while, then for some reason, broke out into hearty laughter… yesterday's events not forgotten maybe, but forgiven. 

            'Ne… about yesterday, gomen-ne?' Hatina muttered softly, her eyes twinkling. Mintei just nodded, hoping that she won't bring the subject up again. 

            'So…,' Mintei started, hoping to divert her attention as Shoyo High slowly came into view. 

            'Wait, Mi-chan. I know you don't want to talk about it… but before you start talking about whatever things that are on you mind, can please hear me out?'

            'Hati…'

            'No, look… I mean listen. I only want you to hear me out! That's all, just listen to the whole situation. See the big picture before you just push it aside like that, _please_,' Hatina said in a pleading tone, walking over to a more secluded area, pulling Mintei along with her. 

            'So, if you would just lis…'

            'To hell with your just listens!' Mintei suddenly lashed out. In her, she felt her anger bubbling, trying to pour out of her.

            'Do you think it's not the same? Do you think listening won't open my wounds and make me remember it all again? You don't understand do you? You've never been what I went through… and goodness, you said that you would help me out… to pull me out and help me stand up!' 

            'Yeah I did promise you, but I didn't think you'd be so selfish,' Hatina said back, coolly.

            'Huh? You're the one being selfish here. You don't care about what I'm feeling…'    

            'Me? Okay, I admit that I'm not really paying all that much attention to what you are feeling… but you're also being a little selfish here, don't you think?...'

            'NO!'

            'Err… that was a rhetorical question… wait… don't be so rash okay? You are being selfish in a way because you're too scared to let go of your past. You're clinging on to it, knowing that it would hurt you, but still doing so anyway.'

            'Do you think it is that easy to let it go? Do you think that I don't want to let it go? Hell… I want to, but it's not so easy that I can just say it and do it.'

            'Nobody said it was easy… but it is possible. It's not like you were hurt just a week ago… it wasn't even a year ago. It was two years ago… and you're not opening up yet. You're still too scared to talk about it,' Hatina held up a hand when she saw that Mintei was about to interrupt, 'no… listen first. I know it hurt you, and I'm your friend, and I hated seeing you get hurt, and that's one of the reasons I'm making you spill everything. I hated seeing you get hurt,' Hatina repeated.

            'Well, that's a helluva thing to say considering the situation,' Mintei muttered bitterly.

            '… and we have a new friend now,' Hatina continued, as if she hadn't heard Mintei at all, '…and I don't want to see her hurt herself the same way.'

            'I took care of myself, she should learn to take care of her own self.' Mintei said softly, hardly realizing that she said it until it left her mouth. Hatina's eyes narrowed.

            'What is the point of you going through that if you're not going to learn anything and lead others on?

            'I didn't ask for this.'

            'No you didn't, but it _happened_. Not everything will go your way. And if you don't buck up and stand up straight, you would never ever succeed. Your past is drowning you… drowning your mind… and you're hardly doing anything to stop it. If you were given a chance to relive that part of your life again, wouldn't you want to do so? But you can't! And that's a cold hard fact that you would have to learn to accept. And since you can't, the closest thing you can do is to not let others make the same mistake you did, and live that particular part of _their life happily so that they won't regret in the future… like you are doing.'_

            'But…' Mintei stopped, not knowing what to say. Her short illogical surge of anger disappeared, and two large tears rolled down her cheeks instead. Hatina was always the smartest one, and no one could win an argument against her. From where they were, they could hear all the students babbling on their way to school. 

            'Look, Mintei… we were already close friends with you when that happened. At least, at that time, you knew that there were people you could lean on… but Meia... Meia didn't even know how to smile. Don't you feel sorry for her? We tried our best to help you at that time, we tried to feel empathetic towards you, but we couldn't. We didn't go through what you were going through, and all we could do is stand several feet back, making sure that we could catch you if you fell. We did our best in our own way, but that was the way of the world… one can't fully comfort another without really knowing what it felt like going through what the other did… trust me, we hated to see you sad, to see you crying… and the worst thing I felt was… helplessness. I couldn't do anything to help you, accept to cheer you up… to _try _to cheer you up,' Hatina's voice was lowering every second… and Mintei could swear that she heard her stumble once or twice, and suddenly, Mintei just felt like taking back all she ever said. To just hug her and say that it was alright, what she did had been sufficient. If they hadn't been there, she might have done worst things that would have put her life in mortal danger. 

            'But you… now you have the privilege of helping another,' Hatina looked up, into her eyes. Mintei noted that her eyes were a little bloodshot.

            'I'm not saying it like it is a good thing… but I mean, that's a law. There has to be a good thing that comes out of every bad. You can do something that we couldn't. You could help prevent Meia from going through as much suffering as you went through if say… anything were to happen to her brother.' Hatina grinned a little.

            'I know it's not your nature to poke your nose into other people's business, and if you had told me two years ago to help someone like Meia, I would have looked at you in a weird manner… but after seeing how it takes a lifetime to love someone, and yet, to be able to lose it in a matter of a second, it taught me something I never forgot. You can look at them and ask them to shut up on the "what ifs" but in reality, those what ifs do happen, and if we don't prepare ourselves, those two words could kill us.' Suddenly Mintei threw herself on a shocked Hatina, and started sobbing. Hatina smiled slightly, and hugged her back. They stood that way for a while, savoring the quietness that couldn't be broken by the chirping of birds, or by the babbling of the students. Savoring the calmness that only they two shared at that time.

* * * * * * * * 

            'Hey Meia!' A day had passed, and now, Mintei was a little more collected and controlled.

            'Mi-chan!' Meia called back cheerfully. 

            'Do you have anything on tomorrow night?'

            'Err… I don't think so. Why?' Meia asked, now beside her.

            'Well, we were planning a sleepover in Va-chan's house, and were wondering if you could make it.'

            'Well…' Meia thought it over, her insecurities surfacing automatically.

            'Great! We can go to her house straight away after practice!' Mintei exclaimed. Meia merely shook her head and laughed at her friend's antiques. But inside… she had always felt that Mintei understood her more than anyone else in their group did.

            _But first…__ I'm seriously surprised that I was actually accepted into their group in the first place. Meia thought with wonder._

            'What makes you think I had nothing on?' Meia asked back playfully.

            'Hmmm… well, it's Friday night, and I don't think that you have a boyfriend that would actually be willing to go out with you…' Mintei ducked a blow from Meia.

            'Anyhow, if you really can't make it, we would postpone it to Monday maybe. Saturday isn't possible, cause Ken-san and Toru-san has tuition on that day.' Meia stared at her. She found it amazingly hard to believe that she was able to be actually accepted that well that they would actually postpone something if she couldn't make it. 

            _And what's more? They're basketball players…_

            Suddenly Fujima appeared.

            'Here you guys are. I've been looking everywhere for you! We have to cancel our sleepover cause _all_ six of us can't make it!'

            'Says who?' Mintei asked.

            'Says me. I just found out that there's going to be a party for all the basketball players in Shoyo, Kainan, Shohoku, and of course, Ryonan. It's compulsory for all… so, we can still come to my house after practice and proceed to Akagi's later.' Fujima said, hardly giving himself time to recover from his search for them

            'Akagi's house? Does that mean Haruko would be there too?' Mintei wrinkled her face.

            'Yup, and Rukawa-kun would be there too,' Hatina muttered, appearing beside Mintei. With her, was Varoa.

            'Nii-chan! What are you doing here? Practice is going to start in five minutes!... let us just forget about Haruko and the love-of-her-life, oh-my-ever-so-dear Rukawa-kun, shall we?'            Varoa said, making a face. It was pretty obvious that she disliked Haruko.

            '…' Fujima stared at the four girls, amused. 

            'How do all of you know Haruko-san anyway?' Hanagata asked, appearing magically behind Meia.

            'Wait, wait… is it normal for all of you to pop out of nowhere in the middle of a conversation and know everything that we are talking about?' Meia butt in.  

            'If so, I don't think I could really get use to that,' she continued, shaking her head comically. Mintei noted the glee in her eyes, and cracked. The rest followed to suit. 

            'The manageresses had a meeting that day, and all Haruko talked about was that Rukawa of hers,' Hatina explained after their laughter subsided.

            'Ei? I didn't know the manageresses had meetings,' Hanagata replied.

            'She's exaggerating,' Meia muttered. 

            _She's feeling accepted. When she's in the midst of us, she's accepted, but she doesn't realize it… only when she's not with us, she'll start feeling insecure and lonely… but then again, most people are like that, right?... but… maybe Meia is a little worse of… I think, Mintei smiled, wondering how to help the girl in front of her. _

            'Mi-chan here, is Ayako-san's second cousin. We ran into them while eating in Mc Donalds that day. She was with Haruko. Few minutes later, this tall guy with messy hair stepped in, all sleepy and drooling, and then needless to say, she went all lovey-dovey, giving us free lessons on Rukawa's history… goodness,' Varoa muttered.

            'Maa, maa, I think this is getting a little too serious. Relax, she's not all that bad… and anyway, plenty of girls are like head-over-hills in love with Rukawa from what I heard. You gals are one of the few who aren't… and that may only be because you haven't really met him yet,' Fujima teased. The girls however, did not pay attention to his teasing.

            'Yeah,' Mintei said darkly, 'Compared with the three head of the Rukawa Brigade who entered seconds later…' a shudder passed around the four girls.

            '…' Fujima stared at the four girls.

            'You know Fujima, if those girls managed to scared these four, I certainly do not intend to meet them,' Hanagata murmured. Beside him, Fujima nodded vigorously. 

* * * * * * * * 

            'Okay, dismiss!' Fujima shouted. The players started filing into the changing room, talking.

            'Is there anyone who's staying late to practice?' Meia suddenly asked. Slowly, the talk faded away, and all the players were staring blankly at Meia.

            'We're going home early today, so the once who wants to stay late will have to lock up by yourselves,' Meia explained, assuming as always that they all knew who the _we were referring to. They did, as suddenly questioning looks were thrown their way.     _

            'Ti-chan, I've realized that Meia is not all that… how shall I put it… like scared and insecure if you don't give her time to think about her actions… and put her amongst people who, are, you know, familiar with her,' Mintei whispered.

            'Yeah… but if you give her time to think through her actions, no matter where she is…' Hatina left her sentence hanging, as both of them walked over to the girl's changing room. Out of the corner of her eyes, Mintei saw Meia handing the gym keys over to Hasegawa.

            As soon as all six of them were cleaned up and ready, they left for Varoa's house. They had about two hours till the party started, so were currently taking their own sweet time. Meia, for one, felt very nervous about the party. She kept running her hand through her hair, hardly paying attention to what was going on around her. Mintei, being the most observant one of the gang noticed that immediately. As far as Mintei knew, Meia was pretty interested in nature, and would point out a lot of interesting facts while walking, especially in the dark… something which was probably the last thing on her mind now. Mintei felt that she knew what Meia was worried about, and kept it to herself. 

* * * * * * * * 

_            I didn't even tell onii-san that I'm in the basketball club… what if he's shocked to see me and suddenly cracks? And anyway… I don't think I really like the idea of going to a party together with him… I would be grateful, but not exactly happy. Crap… why do I look up to him so much?!! And… what about Koshino-san and so many others? Maki-san, Jin-san… goodness… what would they say when they see me at the party? Sure, they don't know me… but what of they chase me out saying that this is only for basketball players and not for some dunno-what-crap  like me? And goodness… so many other things to worry about. Almost all the basketball players have an uncanny ability to attract attention to themselves… especially onii-san…and I'm the only sick one there… gosh… _Meia sighed.

            'Meia, daijoubu?' Hanagata asked softly. Meia started a little. She had assumed that the rest had gone into the house and would not miss her as soon as they reached. She had stayed outside, taking in deep breaths of fresh air, trying to calm herself down, not realizing that Hanagata, wondering where she went, had came back out to look for her. 

            'Ei? What are you doing here?' she asked, grinning a little nervously. 

            'Hmm… let's just say, I was looking for a girl who seemed to have disappeared from our side when we entered into the house,' he answered playfully. Among all of them, while Meia felt that Mintei understood her best, she had always, in the same way, felt closest to Hanagata compared to the others. He had always treated her a little differently…

_…like a sister…_

            Meia shook her head a little, clearing her mind.    

            'Ia-chan?' A note of care and worry could be heard in his voice. She flashed him a smile.

            'Nah, I'm okay.'

            'You wanna stay here the rest of the night? I wouldn't mind, you know, leaving you here and all.' Meia shoved him playfully.

            'Meanie,' she muttered, and both proceeded inside.

_He reminds you of Ra-nii, doesn't he?_

            Meia stopped, startled at that flashing thought. It had crossed her mind involuntarily, not by will… and yet, the truth in it was undeniable. He did remind her of ra-nii before they had began to grow apart.

            'You sure have an inkling to stopping and staring off into space now a days don't you?' Hanagata's voice pierced through her curtain of thought, and she quickened her pace, trying to catch up with Hanagata. 

* * * * * * * * 

            'Konnichiwa,' Akagi greeted them all.

            'Hey, Akagi,' Fujima replied pleasantly. As they proceeded inside, Mintei caught sight of Ayako, raised a hand in greeting, and then continued into that large double-story house.

            'I seriously don't understand what girls see in him,' Hatina suddenly said, looking at a tall freshman, who currently, wasn't sleeping, but punching a redhead. 

            'Teme! Rukawa! Dare you punch a Tensai? If it was just any Tensai that would be forgivable, but Tensai Sakuragi?!!'

            'Do'aho…'         

            'TEME!!' The six of them sweat-dropped.

            'Err… I think it would be more understandable at least, compared to falling for that red-head Sakuragi,' Varoa said. As a manageress, or captain or sub-captain, they were obligated to be able to match a basketball player's name with their looks, but need not necessarily know the person's attitude. And thus, they were all pretty shocked at his antiques.

            'Meia-san, here's the gym key,' Hasegawa, who was passing by said, digging into his pocket. When he did produce the gym key, she fainted.

            'Why didn't you give it back to the office?'

            'Ei? I thought it was yours…'

            'Baka! We only use our keys during emergencies! Hanagata half-scolded.

            'Oh… o…k…a….y…. Gomen, minna-san… I'll give the key back on Monday,' Hasegawa said, his shoulders dropping at the thought of giving the key back, and of course, the scolding he would receive. 

            'Nah, it's okay,' Meia muttered, holding her hand out.

            'I'm responsible for it. I'll give it back,' she continued.

            'Are you sure? I mean…' 

            'Yeah, I'm sure,' Meia interrupted, a small smile surfacing. Fujima shrugged, his manageress were responsible, and he was glad for it. Hanagata, who had the clearest view of the door, suddenly said, 'Looks like the Ryonans decided to come together.'

            Meia's head snapped up to the door so fast and so hard that Mintei swore she could almost hear her bone crack. Instinctively, Mintei put her hand up to her neck, and then dropped it. Hanagata, on the other hand, was shocked at the reaction he had drawn out of Meia with his casual sentence. However, if not for the two of them, Meia's actions went unnoticed. 

            There at the door stood Uozumi, Ikegami, Koshino… and Sendo. Behind them, there were of course, another long line of people, but Meia's eyes was focused on a certain person… only. 

A'N: I hope that this wasn't too long… Do tell me what you think, even if it is bad, okay? Oh… yeah, while I was writing, I was wondering, should I pair Meia up? I didn't plan to pair her up with anyone… but should I pair her up with Hanagata? Or Fujima? or no one? 


	8. Akane

Title: Alone… and Forgotten… A/N: I'm seriously sorry… I had writer's block… yes, for both my fics. I didn't know how to continue… but now I've gotten another idea, so hopefully I would be able to upload a little sooner. Hopefully… hehe… I hope I haven't left it too long till it is really forgotten by you guys… well, anyway, excuse my crapiness. I wrote a longer chapter. Hopefully it ain't too long. Right… enough crapping. On with the fic. 

Artemis*Obscure: Yeah… Unquestionable-san says that I write too much angst…. Hehehe *winks* Yeah, I might pair her up with Hanagata… but considering the way this story is taking course, I think she might not end up with anyone… though I might change my mind in the middle…. Well, thanks for reading!!

Ice Queen: Hehehe… I took an even longer time to upload this. Now I'm seriously not sure whether I should pair her up with anyone…. Maybe I won't… heheh. I'm indecisive.

Unquestionable: Was I suppose to understand your past review?.... well, as u can se, listening to Mr. Loh is sometimes helpful… hehehe… that is 4 my Terror ler… so listen to Kimia more often!

Teh Tarik: No… I took the long way round because I myself didn't know what was going on between them. Hehehe… yeah, that's the way I write. I have no idea what thye were talking about myself, and that's why I love writing. But now I have a rough idea…. Though I think you're going to have to wait till the next chapter to see it fully. *salaams* I'm sorry… but the chapter was already to long… nyahgahhahah… anyway, it's nice to torture u guys…

Miracle: Heheheh… I ended up taking a little TOO long to upload… I'm so sorry… I guess I don't really have to pair Meia up. Actually, now, I don't think it is all that a good idea anymore…

Sakura88: The nilais are crappy right?!! I mean we spent the last 3 years of our lives trying to hafal all the nilais and they just change it like that… eeeeee GERAM!!!! I'm the same age and form as you… are there many people there who enter school a year early? Never encountered such a thing over here in Seremban…

**Chapter 7- Akane**

            'Hi-nii!' Hatina called out, breaking through that agonizing moment. Agonizing for Meia, that was. 

            'Ti-chan!' Koshino said in delight, pulling Sendo over to where the six of them stood. Koshino hugged his cousin as soon as he reached them. Sendo slapped Hatina on the back, fully aware of the pair of scared eyes trained on him. 

            'This is Fujima, Varoa, his sister, Mintei, Hanagata, and Meia,' Hatina introduced in a breath. She didn't pause at Meia's name, but her eyes were alight with curiosity all the same. 

            'Hey!' Sendo said, his eyes traveling from one to another, resting a while on Meia. She dropped her eyes immediately. 

            'Hey,' Fujima answered, not really noticing the way Sendo looked at Meia. Hanagata did see this, but he passed it off as nothing. Hatina was surveying everything with a mischievous glint in her eyes. 

            'Va-chan!' A voice suddenly called out from seemingly the other end of that huge house.

            'Akane-chan?!' Varoa squealed in delight, still in the midst of tuning towards the source. In a flash, both Fujima(s) left the group. Meia stared as the pair of them rushed over to the long-haired girl who was waving frantically. 

            'I think she's their cousin or something,' Hanagata muttered. Something in his voice said that he didn't want to discuss it further, and Meia let it lie that way. Without their notice, Mintei clenched her fists. 

            There was a short awkward pause, as the other Ryonans met up with their own friends. Meia's heart sank as she saw that her brother and Koshino were planning to be around them for quite some time. 

            'Let's get a drink!' Hatina said, pulling her cousin to the drinks section,

            'Yeah! Finally. I thought you'd never ask,' Sendo said brightly, a big grin crossing his face as he tailed the two of them. Mintei noted that Sendo was pretty much perfect in covering the fact that Meia is his sister as she watched him pass a drink to her. Then, before she knew it, he had pushed a drink into her hands. 

            'Man… can't you guys serve yourselves?' 

            Hatina knocked his spiky head.

            'Be nice to girls. Some gentlemen you guys are nowadays. Completely hopeless!' She complained. Sendo automatically changed into another mode.

            'Ah, Hatina-sama. I'm so glad and honored that you would actually take the…' Sendo went on yakking as a look of slight surprise came across Hatina's face. She was a little shock at his change of attitude. It wasn't from the "Man… can't you guys serve yourselves," to the "Ah, Hatina-sama…" but from the first day she met him to today. In a flash, she understood what her cousin meant by saying that Sendo went "crazy, crazy" in the midst of people. 

            Mintei, however, who had never seen Sendo alone with his close friend, could not help but be amused by his actions. This was the first time she had talked to him up close, and already, she liked him. His carefree way of living, his jabbering mouth and joker smile. A smile broke to surface on Mintei's features.

            Opposite Mintei, Meia cast her eyes down, to the drink that her brother had given to her. with the other hand, she raked her hair back.    

* * * * * * * * 

            'Hey, Va-chan, do you know that guy over there?' Akane asked, in a soft voice. 

            'Who? Sendo-san? I don't know him that well….' Varoa answered, her voice lowering. She literally felt her heart sinking when she saw that Akane had fixed her eyes intently on Sendo, and… Mintei, who seemed to be having a good time. 

            'Oh… nah, he just reminded me of someone.' Akane's voice had that dangerous dreamy tone. Varoa turned her whole body to get a better look at Sendo, who had managed to make Mintei laugh till she seemed to be shivering. Hatina was talking to Koshino animatedly, not really interested in the scene that Sendo was making. Hanagata, on the other hand, looked bemused. He wasn't laughing the way Mintei was, but he was smiling. Meia was the only one who didn't seem to be enjoying the whole thing. Varoa's gaze focused hard on Mintei, not giving much thought to Meia. She was after all, pretty serious. She seldom laughed aloud.

            'Yeah, he reminds me of someone too,' Varoa muttered her brows creasing, turning back to Akane, only to see a stray tear tracking it's way down her cheeks. 

            _Ugh__… this isn't good. This is not good, Varoa thought frantically, her eyes looking around wildly for her brother. She knew, there was perhaps, only one person who could make Akane cry this way. She was not _ just_ crying. Her eyes had that blank look, the look of someone who had suffered for a long time. And… _and_, Akane wasn't exactly the girl who cried. It was not an easy task, making Akane cry. _

            Varoa did the only thing that came into her mind. She patted Akane on the back. Akane looked up at her, tears threatening to spill from those large emerald orbs. Varoa gave her an encouraging smile. Akane closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to stabilize her emotions. 

            'I want to talk to him,' Akane whispered. Varoa sighed softly. Her voice held certain authority. Once Akane decided with something, sinking in the Dead Sea was easier compared to trying to make her change her mind. She had known that this would happen. She just knew it.

            _Damn._

'Okay, Akane. Just promise me one thing. Please don't pick a fight with Mintei, okay?' Akane didn't answer. 

            'Akane?' There was a short pause. After a few seconds, she finally nodded, slightly. Varoa wasn't convinced, but she knew it was too late to turn back. The dreaded time had come. Mintei had to face Akane. 

            _The only person who could make Mintei smile, the only person who could make Akane cry…oh Sendo, why did you come? _

            'Right, let's go.'

* * * * * * * *

            Hatina was the first one to realize that Varoa and Akane was walking over to them. Akane had a terrifying glare decorating her face.

            'Uh, oh… damn,' she muttered.

            'Hatina? You okay?' Koshino asked, concerned. Hatina looked at him.

            'I knew this would happen… well, I suspected it would. I mean, Sendo was almost a reflection of him, but I didn't know similar they were. I didn't know he was so… as you said, crazy, crazy… if I knew, I would never have risked it. Damn! This isn't good!' Hatina rambled on and on, her eyes alarmingly unfocused. 

            'Hatina?! Hey, are you alright?' Koshino shook her slightly. Hatina's eyes snapped back to reality.

            'Yeah… I'm okay… gimme a minute,' she said, walking over to Hanagata, a few paces in front of her.

            'Hanagata…'      

            'Hmm…?' Hanagata was facing Hatina, his back to the oncoming pair of cousins, Varoa and Akane, and thus didn't know anything about them coming over.

            'Akane's coming. With Varoa. And by the look of it, Mintei's in deep trouble. No! Don't turn now!' Hatina hissed as Hanagata made to turn around to check. 

            'Damn, I don't think that Varao's and Fujima's presence can pull them both out of a fight this time, if they start one. I mean you know both of them, right? And I'm sure they will start a fight today. Damn sure. Crap! I shouldn't have let Mintei meet Sendo. Shit!' Hatina kept babbling, hardly keeping track of what she was saying. 

            Meia was beside Hanagata, and she was staring at the pair of them, scared. She was scared not by the look on Hatina's face, but just scared. She was worried that her friends wouldn't accept her anymore, now that they had met her brother. She feared that she would lose the only friends who had seemed to care for her. And so, though she was confused, she didn't dare break in the conversation. She just stared at them. Hanagata, however, caught her looking at him, and a thought struck him. 

            'Meia,' he whispered, though still looking straight at Hatina. Meia was not sure whether he had mixed her name with Hatina's or was really calling her. 

            'Ia-chan!' His tone was urgent. They were drawing nearer. He felt it.

            'What?' She whispered back.

            'Pull Mintei away from here. Invite her to go to the toilet, for a walk anything. Please?... Now.' Meia's eyes widen. The very thought of breaking through her brother's conversation scared her like hell. Hatina detected her reluctance. 

            'Come on, please? We'll explain later. She needs this,' Hatina murmured. 

            'But…' Besides her worry, she also felt left out. She was the only one who was blur on the details. Always.

            'No buts. Go,' Hanagata said, sounding very pushy and oppressive, and almost immediately, he regretted it. She looked a little hurt… but this was not the time. He had no time to console her, not now.  

            'Go Meia, please.' Meia gave him a glare, and he was taken aback at the amount of hate and disgust that her face held. Maybe he had gone a little too far this time. An apology trembled at the tip of his tongue, but by now, he could hear Varoa's footsteps over the din… and anyway, he consoled himself, that look of disappointment had left her face. Just as Varoa tapped him on the back, Meia left them. 

            'Oh, hey Va-chan. Um… hi, Akane-san.'  Hatina greeted. As Hanagata turned to greet them as well, he caught Meia's eyes again, and saw that look of hatred in them, _again._ And before he had managed to fully turn away from her, he saw that look being replaced with a blank hurt look, _again. _

            'Hey!' Hanagata said brightly. Akane nodded to both of them.

            'Mi-chan, could you accompany me? I want to go for a walk. Oh, Sendo-san, would you like to come as well?' Meia's voice floated over to where they were, and Akane's eyes widened dangerously. Hatina knew that Meia's voice was a little too fake to fool Akane, and she saw that knowledge registering itself in Akane's mind. But at the same time, she was stunned. She had begged Meia to do it with no real conviction, truth be told, that she would actually do it. She wasn't the only one shock. A sharp, involuntary intake of breath from Sendo too obviously told that he was surprised. 

            Mintei was more than shocked. She raised her eyes to Meia questioningly, but politely. Her politeness, however, ended when her eyes slipped pass Meia, finding themselves locked on a pair of big emerald eyes. Comprehension seeped into her eyes. 

            'Oh, but Meia… I don't really feel…'

            'Aww, come on, Mintei. It would be fun, I'm sure,' Sendo cut in. Koshino smiled a little… it wasn't a happy smile. Sendo loved his sister a lot, though, of course, not many, and he would say, including Meia herself, knows that. These little things seem to always slip her… but on her side, he understood how it felt. Sendo seemed to excel in everything. He was hell of an athletic, he got good grades, he made friends damn quickly… and goodness knows what else. He didn't blame her for overlooking these small things. After all, they did seem small compared to what he did to her feelings without even doing anything bad to her. But sometimes, he felt sorry for Sendo…. Take now for instance, Meia was looking up to him with a smile on her face. A smile halfway between mild shock – shock that he would actually help her – and gratitude. But there was something about her eyes that the smile of gratitude didn't reach. 

            Mintei looked up at Sendo, who gave her a look of pure innocence. Meia was pretty good at hiding her worry about mixing around, her fear that everyone would diss her behind her back, but she wasn't the only one. Sendo was as good as hiding all the tumultuous and raging feelings in him… maybe a little better. He had a strange feeling that Mintei was very good at reading people's feelings, and had already broken through Meia's façade. Mintei, on the other hand, could not perceive through his simple show, and thus, didn't know the thoughts that were racing through his mind. Deep in her, she didn't want to actually in a way, "go against" Sendo. She liked him… but she couldn't just walk away from Akane… could she? She had caught the look on Varoa's face a moment ago. It was the look of a person walking into a terrible fight. Their perceptions were already set. She shouldn't change what people think. Akane actually coming over to them was as good as her picking a fight. After all, they _had promised distance. That was why Akane had always called Fujima and Varoa from a distance…_

            'Yeah, let's go,' Koshino muttered from beside Sendo.

            'And who invited you?' Sendo asked mischievously.

            'Meia-san did,' Koshino answered, looking expectantly at her. Meia started at being called by her brother's best friend. 

            'There you are,' Koshino said, smiling, turning back to Sendo.

            'I didn't hear any "yes",' Sendo muttered back, his eyes twinkling. 

            'Well, I heard it, and that settles it, doesn't it, Meia?' Again she didn't answer. She was at a lost for words.

            'There, I told you it does. Okay, let's go,' Koshino said. Mintei, now overruled, merely followed along. Her eyes darted one last time towards Akane and caught her eyes. Both pair of eyes were filled with unspeakable loathing.

            All of them walked out the door.   

* * * * * * * * 

            _I've__ had enough of being the one always pushed around. Why? Is it just because I can't fight back and stand up and say "No"? Than, it ain't fair. Just because I'm nice, people take advantage of it…  Hanagata… I thought… I thought he was something like nii-san before… before it all happened. But… but that was just the surface. They're all the same inside. They never bother, never care. There's nothing deeper in there, only ego._

* * * * * * * * 

            A tear escaped her eyes. Meia Sendo hugged herself tightly. 

A/N: At the end, in italics… those were Meia's thoughts, kay? Was it a little too long? I wanted to explain a little more, but once I get started, I can never stop, and the chapter will be _extremely_ long. I promise to try to upload a little quicker, ne? well, thanks for the support, and do tell me what you think… how was it… bye!!!


	9. Understanding

Title: Alone… and Forgotten… A/N: Hehehe… I kept my word, didn't i? See, I'm uploading quicker now… though less people are reading *sob*… hehehe. However, I might not be able to upload that quickly anymore… not when my end-term is coming soon…. Well, anyway, here's chapter eight for you guys… I'm not sure if it's too short… hopefully not. 

Unquestionable: Grannie? If I'm a granny, I dread to think what that would make you… hehehe… surely, surely you're a great-granny! Well, I've explained who Akane is in this chapter… go on reading. It's so sad, just look at my answers to the reviewers… if you don't understand, ask me in school…

Teh Tarik: Young lady? Wow… I have one calling me a young lady and unquestionable-san calling me a granny… hehehe… well, I am explaining, and isn't that a little too harst to call a poor person trying to write a fic… I don't ALWAYS end like that… do i?... well, anyway, I didn't end it like that this time….

Yuhi: Hey, thanks for reading… ei? You have a fic with the leading character name Meia? It's a nice name, isn't it?... well, we'll see… you like LOTR too? Did you read the book?

**Chapter 8 - Understanding**

            'Hi mom!' Sendo greeted charmingly, a large smile decorating his face. 

            'Oh, hello Akira. How was the party?'

            'Great! And hello, dad!' Sendo said, already reaching the foot of the stairs. 

            'Hey,' Mr. Sendo said, not looking up from the newspaper. Meia wrinkled her brows. Her brother had actually said that the party was great?! What? Does he have a short-term memory or something? She suppressed a sigh. As if reading her thoughts, Sendo added,

            'Some weird stuff did happened, nothing much though.'

            'Oh… okay, goodnight Akira, Meia.'

            'Night, mom.'

            'Night,' Meia said softly.

* * * * * * * * 

            Hanagata, Koshino and Hatina were on the only ones left, after they dropped of Mintei and both Fujimas back. Mintei's parents had requested that Mintei stayed a while in Fujima's house… the reason was still obscure to Mintei. She assumed that her parents went out for a movie or something, though she couldn't see why they had to ask her to stay in Varoa's house. It wasn't as if she was not accustomed to staying at home alone. She was still pondering over that when Hanagata had called out goodbye. 

            Sendo and Meia on the other hand had excused themselves earlier… _together_. Hanagata was more than a little surprised when Sendo announced that he was going home. Sendo was more of the out-going type, and he assumed that, like Varoa, he would love parties of this sort, but Koshino had told him that Sendo had never really bothered about parties like this. But the thing that really left his brain numb was the fact that Meia had left with him. 

            _Is she still angry with me? They took a left turn, and walked on silently. Hanagata could see his house approaching nearer under the moonlight. Intuitively, he stopped. He could not face the night, he could not just go home without resolving this. He had to know if she was still mad. _

            'What's wrong?' Hatina asked, looking at him.

            'You… did you by any chance notice the way Meia was looking at me? After I asked her to invite Mintei for a walk, I mean. She seemed so cold towards me after that… it's as if… I dunno. I saw her eyes… it seemed to reflect… hate? I mean… come on! And after that she just left with Sendo. _Sendo!__ Of all persons! I mean, they hardly know each other, right? When I said bye, she didn't even wave back… God, what is wrong with her?!' Hanagata bursted out frustrated. _

            Hatina didn't reply, the scene that night replaying in her mind.

* * * * * * * * 

            'Who's that girl?' Akane asked, not even bothering to conceal her dislike for Meia. 

            'Meia Hitomi,' Varoa answered.

            'Okay… so what is she doing?' 

            'She just asked Mintei for a walk. Why? You didn't come to see MIntei, did you?' Hanagata asked politely, but his eyes told a different story. Akane looked up at Hanagata, then dropped her eyes. It was quite obvious that for some reason, Akane respected Hanagata a little… maybe it was because of his brains that she didn't dare to bicker with him. He was definitely the only one among their group that she had any respect for. He, however, disliked Akane, but for both the Fujimas sake, never ever said it out aloud. 

            'No,' Akane said quietly. There was a short pause, until Varoa finally announced in a small voice that they should look for her brother. Akane allowed herself to be led away, throwing a last infuriated glance at the door where Mintei had last disappeared from. 

            Hatina let out a sigh of relieve as soon as they were out of earshot. 

            'That was close… man of all the biggest messes in my life, that was the very messiest one… if there is such a word… yeah I think there is….' 

            'Mess?' Hanagata asked, frowning, 'it wasn't your fault.'

            'Nah… nothing. I didn't say anything. We have to make sure Akane stays away from Mintei though,' Hatina said, looking vexed. 

            'Yeah, I guess.' 

            Hanagata and Hatina met the other four squashed on a white swing, which was creaking under their weight. Mintei was still laughing at Sendo's antics, while Koshino just looked on. Hatina was glad that Mintei, at least, seemed to be acting as if nothing had ever happened. Meia however, was a different story. Her eyes, her body language…

* * * * * * * * 

            'Hanagata, maybe… I think there's something about Meia that you should know,' Hatina said quietly. 

            'Whoa, hold on. You can't just go on telling the whole world, you know,' Koshino cut in, looking indignant. 

            'Why not? Meia is….'

            'Meia is who she is, and Sendo is my best friend. I think we should respect whatever decisions that they make. They can do what they want to do.'

'Chill, Hi-nii… it's not like I'm telling some unknown creep. I'm just telling Toru, that's all.' 

Koshino scrutinized her intently, then with a sigh, muttered, 'I guess…'

            'What? Are Sendo and Meia going out or something?' 

            'No… but would you be sad if they did?' Koshino asked playfully, receiving a whack on the back by Hatina. 

            'No… I don't think so,' Hanagata said, still a little blur on the things that were going on around him. Hatina sighed. Sometimes, Hanagata was just too innocent.

            'Gosh, no, they are NOT going out. But, this is even more shocking. Meia's real name isn't Meia Hitomi. It's Sendo. She's Meia Sendo.' There was a long pause, before Hanagata finally burst out, 'Yeah right!'

            'Yup, she's right,' Koshino chirped. 'They are siblings.'

            'Guys… um… I know I'm blur, but I'm not stupid, you know.'

            'Trust us, we know,' Hatina said quietly.

            'Come on, Ti-chan, what are you up to now?'

            'I'm not up to anything! I'm telling you the truth!' Hatina said indignantly. Hanagata stared at her a while, trying to decide whether she was pulling his leg or stating a fact. He decided that Hatina looked too serious to be playing a fool. 

            'But… what are they playing at? I mean… what is the whole damn point of concealing their identity like that? What is the freakin point?' 

            'Well… let's put it this way. You guys are the only few who actually took notice of her…,' Koshino started, and when he said that, Hanagata felt guilty, as he remembered asking Mintei why she had actually made friends with Meia… 

* * * * * * * * 

_            'Well, she seems a little weird… I dunno how to put it… how… why did you make friends with her anyway? I mean it's not exactly like you to do that…'_

_            'Make friends? Varoa did that for me when Meia took one of the only two seats left in class, behind ours. Weird… you feel it too…' Mintei lapsed into a thoughtful silence. _

* * * * * * * * 

            _If it wasn't for Varoa, Meia would never be noticed by a bunch of jerks like us,_ Hanagata mused. 

            '… and I was the only one who knew that they were related… that was until Ti-chan broke through their pretence and told Mintei and you.' Koshino was saying. Hanagata replied with a blank look. 

            'Man… you _are_ blur… okay, let me explain. I knew her because, and I would say, only because I'm a friend of the family, which means that I have been visiting them for a long time, since they were young.' Out of the corner of his eyes, Koshino saw Hatina's eyes widen in surprise. This was a part she had never heard of. He ignored her.

            'But at that time I didn't really mix with them. I was an introvert… and I don't think you would mix with them either… they were… they seemed so complete. There was a time when they had actually came up to me and asked me to join them. I ran off. I didn't visit them for over nine years I think. And I think that was why Meia forgot me.

            'They both grew, and seemed to change dramatically. The last time I saw them, Sendo was teaching her how to play basketball. She fell down a couple of times, and he kept pulling her up and checking her legs in the normal five-year-old fashion. He loved her a lot, and she loved him too. She always cheered him on, doing cute little dances. Few years ago, I met him in Junior High, and we soon became best buds. He remembered me, but I don't think she did. I only started going to Sendo's house last year anyway. And when I met her, she had already became the person you see now.'

            'But… why?'

            'Put yourselves in her shoes. Your brother is a well-known sports-star. He gets all the attention, but no one knows you. You're losing your self-confidence. Less people make friends with you, and those who do, forget you quickly. Worse than that, people start ignoring you…'

            'But their relationship can't have just broken off, you know…. Something must have happened… or why didn't Sendo do anything about it?'

            'Hey, Sendo was just a kid. You can't blame him… when he was little, he liked the attention, lots of people want to be popular anyway… although over the years he's come to hate it, he had liked it for a while. Sendo is really a talented guy. Obviously, he's great in basketball, he gets top five in the whole form, picked up drumming and guitar by himself… not to mention his extremely good way with people… he attracts people without even making an effort to. Meia felt… I believe she felt that there was an expectation to meet. Meia couldn't even make friends, she couldn't make her friends treasure her the way Sendo made his… and by being a Sendo, she had Akira to live up to, less her parents would ignore her. She felt as if she was losing to her brother… _losing her brother. She must have felt as if God has placed her share of talents in her brother.'       _

            'I uh… I gotta go,' Hanagata stammered… he had had enough shocks for one day. He didn't want to know more. 

            'Wait, I never got to tell you the answer to your question. The reason she seemed to look at you with hate. She must have seen something in you that reminded her of her brother… of what he used to be. You gave her high hopes of maybe being able to get her brother back… or at least get a replacement of her brother. Her hopes aren't easy to raise, and they fall far too easily. With just the wrong tone of voice, just the wrong usage of word, her hopes will come tumbling down.'

            'Err… okay.' Hanagata paused for a while, then, 'Thanks.'

            'Bye, Toru,' Hatina said in a small voice.

            'See ya.'

            'And Hanagata,' Koshino said.

            'Yeah?'

            'Don't tell anyone. Not even Fujima. They have their rights… if they don't want to be known as siblings, we should respect that.'

            'Okay.'

            Hanagata left for home, his mind whirling.

A/N: I know… it's terrible… and pretty boring, is it not? I mean all that happens in this chapter is Koshino explaining crap… oh, well, bear with me, ne? and tell me how to improve it!!


End file.
